CLS550

I have test driven both within the last few days and was leaning more towards the C63 as I am a diehard AMG fan, but the m3 couple styling has been growing on me as well.

Is there anyone in the LA/San Gabriel Valley area that has either that can maybe take me for a ride? Its hard to grasp a good feel for the car when going to a short test drive in downtown traffic.

I'm not looking to drive the car myself, just sit shotgun and get a feel of how it is.

saferisk

Another option is to buy a C63 coupe then you almost have the best of both worlds?

CLS550

I actually don't like the look of the coupe, plus im looking to get a 09-10 model

HuangYiChao

If you are near SD in the next three weeks I can give you a ride in my 6mt m3.

CLS550

Thats 120 miles away, but if no one else closer comes through, ill try making it down there. thanks!

HuangYiChao

Well if you want to wait I should be in Cypress/Irvine after 8/2.

mingo

IMO if you're looking to track the car every once in a while or take it up to places like Topanga Canyon, you are best with the M3. If you just want something that has a lot of grunt and more of a hot rod, then c63 is the way to go. IMO having owned an m3 before, I think it is a whole lot of fun over the c-class. I do not own a c63 but have ridden in a few. I still feel the M3 is much more of a drivers car. Aftermarket support is better for m3's too.

but the sound that a c63 makes is intoxicating enough for many to go further into debt.

I used to be a tuner, so my views may be skewed more towards track.

GBlansten

See my answer over at M3post.

HuangYiChao

I have to agree that the M3 is fun in twisties but most of the time you will be on the streets which is why I am finding a buyer for my M3, have a c63 coupe on order

IAA-C63

But have you driven the C63? Riding in one as a passenger isn't good enough.

jacob502

M3 sucks. Do something good for your society and get a C63 AMG

CPBRI

Went through the same situation trying to decide between the C63 and an M3 Sedan. No real losers in this competition, but I ended up going C63.

I've got a GT3 for the track, so the idea of having a brutish (but refined) V8 sedan won over.

Pick it up on Saturday!

melmanc55

I love my C63 but IMHO the M3 is a better looking car with a better interior and handling.

Swiftler

99% of the time you are on the road. So then you need a car that is fast from traffic lights to traffic lights. With those two cars, the ONLY car can able to do that is the C63 AMG. C63 is pure grunt exhaust note, the M3 is just pure screamer but the style is one of the sexiest and you'll get plenty of girls looking your way.

If your looking for a car that you can bring to track and also DD then M3 is the way to go.

***NOTE*** Not trying to say I'm supporting street racing. Street racing is a crime. If you want to race, take it to the track.

Swiftler

Exactly! His friend probably didn't punch it hard. I love your 911S Cab, what a great piece of machine!

stangxs

Eh, all preference. I think the c63 interior is better than the m3, I hate BMW interiors,..so boring. Plus, c63 seats > *

My friend has a 2011 m3 coupe, and he'll admit that the c63 is a MUCH funner car to drive/have.

CLS, if you're ever around HB on a Sunday, you can drive my car anytime.

clkwork

I don't understand how it is possible to drive a M3 and a C63 back to back and still be unsure.

ZephyrAMG

If your in Chicago you can drive mine too. But I'll have a tazer gun pointed at you the whole time just in case you pull any monkey business with my baby...then we both die going 130 on the highway.

LawRens

I can already imagine the news report on this one

snowmants

It was between these two cars for me as well. I drove both and ended up going with the M3. The deciding factor for me was the DCT transmission in the M3.....That transmission is magic. It shifted instantly when you flicked the paddle vs. the c63 which would have a slight delay before it would shift.
The c63 wins hands down in the sound department and on the interior in my opinion. The exterior and handling go to the M3, and the c63 slightly edges out the M3 in power. I like having a more nimble, responsive car, so i went with the M3 in the end.

clkwork

50% more torque is a "slight" edge in power? (295 vs 443 lb.ft) There's no competition in my book, the additional torque makes the C63 crazy fun to drive, slide around corners, and generally tear ***... the M3 is pretty neutered until you rev the **** out of it, then you're playing the power band game to keep it from falling on its face.

The DCT transmission is nice but not a redeeming factor. I would have went with the manual anyway. It's a shame that MB couldn't make a decent manual transmission if their life depended on it.

different strokes

snowmants

"nice" doesnt begin to cover it.... The transmission in the M3 vs. the Auto in the c63 I drove were like night and day. The instantaneous nature of the upshifts and downshifts in the M3 make you feel very connected to the car. The delay with the c63 made me feel i wasnt fully in control, like there was a middleman who I had to tell to shift, and then he would tell the transmission to shift. Hard to explain, but I encourage you to drive both back to back. As a point of reference, I am a huge manual fan. All of my performance cars previously have been manual and my dedicated track car is manual. The DCT is just better for everything but drifting. For drifting, give me my clutch pedal any day. For getting A to B in the shortest ammount of time possible I'll take the DCT please.

In reference to power and powerband: Power is just a LIGHTNING QUICK downshift away:

Let's not get sidetracked and forget that BOTH are phenomenal cars! I would love to own both if i could....! It is just a tradeoff between the two and you ultimately have to decide which attributes are most important to you.

GMA36C

I love the way the C63 looks, I find myself staring at my reflection in building windows as I drive by lol. The M3 doesn't look as aggressive IMO but is still a pretty car in it's own way. If I didn't have a 335i before the C I probably would've went with the M but I wanted something different. Also I see lots of M's in my area but I've seen like 1 C63.

_AMG_

LMAOOOO.

_AMG_

The M3 is a surgeons scalpel with precision in mind.
The C63 is a sledgehammer with brute power in mind.

Dunno how else to put it.
I say drive both cars and see which one you like better.